


Another Lifetime

by crescentmoonxo



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Cheating, F/M, Heartbreak, Heavy Angst, One Shot, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-03-29 12:33:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19020019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crescentmoonxo/pseuds/crescentmoonxo
Summary: What happens when you meet your soulmate but you're already with someone else?





	Another Lifetime

**Author's Note:**

> Could not get this one out of my head and it needed to write it in order to do actual homework haha. I'm going to warn you that it's really sad and angsty but I did leave it at a cliff-hanger so you can imagine your own ending to it. This fic also involves cheating in case that's not your thing.

∞

_Meet us in another lifetime,_  
I guess I’ll wait another lifetime   
‘Cause there I will stay, my darling  
I swear I won’t run from you

_∞_

* * *

**Soulmate** : “It’s someone who makes you a better person, well, actually they don’t make you a better person…you do that yourself because they inspire you. A soulmate is someone who you carry with you  _forever_.”

She never believed in a soulmate. It was too cheesy to believe in the fairytales where there’s that one person that was meant for you. How could just one person be destined for another? It’s ridiculous to think that. What if that one person dies? Is that it? There’s no happiness and love that the person can expect because who they’re were supposed to be with is gone.

But what if you met someone that changed your opinion completely? That’s what you read about in books and see in movies, you meet someone and everything changes.

Well, what if you meet your soulmate but you’re already with someone else?

_**“Betty”** _

_**“Betty”** _

“Betty!”

“Yeah…sorry”

It had been a long month for Betty. She warned Veronica that she was too tired to meet her for lunch but V insisted.

“Someone keeping you up last night?”

Betty quickly snapped back.“No. Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I meant Archie” Obviously she meant her boyfriend but V understood the Betty was under a lot of stress so there wasn’t any need to scold her on her attitude.

“Oh yeah. Couldn’t sleep.” She wasn’t exactly lying. Her thoughts and worries about Archie were constantly keeping her up at night but it wasn’t the only thing keeping her up.

She reached out to hold her hand. “But he’s doing better right?” With everything in her life that was complicated, her friendship with Veronica was not. She doesn’t know what she would do without her.

She smiled back and tightened her grip. “Yes. The doctor says everything looks good and he should be waking up soon.”

“That’s great, B!”

And it was. Betty was genuinely happy that Archie was getting better after being in a coma for nearly three months but the storm that would come after she wasn’t sure she would survive.

She squeezed Betty’s hand once more before letting go and taking a sip of her coffee. Holding that smirk that Betty could tell she was up to something “So anyways like I was saying I was thinking of setting up Jughead with my co-worker Sabrina.”

That made Betty perk up with interest. Not too much to give anything away but Veronica could tell she was listening. It made sense now why Betty dozed off at the beginning of this conversation. It was a habit of hers, well almost like a reflex that she was used to doing. Ignore everything that has to do with a certain writer she knew.

“You think he’s seeing anyone?”

Betty took a sip of water, not remembering when her throat had gone dry. “Wouldn’t know. I never see him so your guess is as good as mine”

“You live across the hall and you’re fiancé is his best friend slash roommate.”

Betty winced and took another drink. Fiance? Not really. Technically he didn’t propose. They just found an engagement ring in his pocket the night of the accident, he was on his way to see her. Fate must have a sense of humor though. Betty was planning on ending their relationship that night, clearly, Archie had a different plan. But so did fate. She couldn’t bear telling anyone what she was planning that night, not when everyone, including herself, was so worried and focused on Archies health as they should be. So now everyone just assumes they’re engaged although she won’t wear the ring. It hurts to see it on her finger she tells people and she wasn’t lying.

Fate was a bitch.

“Maybe you should try and talk to him, Betty. It would help both of you to have a friend that’s going through the same thing”

So that’s why Veronica wanted to meet up with her. She wanted Betty to form a friendship with Jughead. Betty simply nodded “uh huh”, glad that this conversation was over. She knew the V had the best intentions and she was right. Jughead and she should talk.

That’s exactly what she did after the accident. At first, it was just small talk in the hallway, bumping into each other at the hospital. There was always an awkwardness between, even before the accident. An unspoken feeling she couldn’t explain. But having someone they equally loved in the hospital forced them to acknowledge each other’s presence. Soon after they were hanging out, eating pizza, and just talk, most times it lasted for hours. Then before she knew it they were stealing glances and smiling like two teenagers when they were in the same room with anyone else. They hadn’t done anything until that night.

They don’t know who made the first move but it was clear neither was willing to make it stop. Before anything else happened Betty left his apartment. She ignored him for a few days till he turned up at her apartment, with Chinese food and an apology and they swore to just be friends.

But it was too late. They clearly couldn’t stay away from each other. So they continued their friendship but it was anything but normal. It was like she was dancing with temptation, learning a new song every time.

They’ve been hanging out at Bettys more. Mostly because Jugheads apartment was a constant reminder of who they were betraying. Brushing her hand over his cheek, trying to memorize every birthmark he had. “Why couldn’t I have met you before him?” It was something she would ask him and herself frequently. Always the same answer: silence. They were sitting by her fireplace, soaking up every inch of this twisted happiness, knowing at any second it would be over.

“I know.” Was all he could respond with. He watched her carefully, wondering where did he go wrong that life put everything he’s ever wanted in the arms of his best friend. What makes it worse? That she wanted him in return.

He doesn’t know how it has been able to control himself from taking her completely. Even watching her now caressing his face, her breath is steady, her lips full and her hair is down in waves. It’s taking everything in him to not take her here and now. Before he realizes, she leans and presses her lips on him.

He kisses her back eagerly. Hands are in her hair. Pouring everything he’s been struggling with but he won’t let himself be consumed in this lie. He stops them before getting up, not facing her.

Running a hand over his face, wondering how did they let it get this far. “I can’t do this to him”

She got up and took a few steps towards him. “Then let’s tell him. Let’s tell everyone! Who cares about the consequences, we’ll have each other”

“It’s not that simple.” He let out a laugh and combed his hair back.

She stared at his back. Trying not to have her vision become blurry but she could feel her emotions boiling up. “You expect me to look at you after this. To see you in the same room as me and pretend like you mean **nothing** to me.”

He turned to face her. She wasn’t grasping the reality of just how much damage they could create with the truth. “Do you have any idea what this would do to him?”

“What about me?” She could feel her face get warm. “Jug, I’m drowning here. I can’t lie anymore.”

“Betty…this would destroy him.”

“You think this is easy for me!”

He walked up to her and placed his hands on the sides of her face. “Fuck. I love you, Betty. More than I have ever loved anyone in my entire life. There will be no one else for me. You’re all I think about.”  It was the first time she’s heard him say he loved her.

Of course, they loved each other and it was obvious. They swore they would never say those words. But they have broken so many promises, what’s one more.

He struggled to continue but he needed to be honest with her. “But Archie is my family and he loves you too. And I have to live with the fact that I had a chance with you and I fucked it up.” She watched as he took a few steps away from her, giving her his back again.

“What do you mean?”

He turned to her, eyes glossy. Opening his mouth a few times before finally speaking. “I saw you from the window, that day you were moving in. You were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. And when Archie told me I should go outside and help I told him no. That he should go for it. So you see, I could have met you first. I had my chance and I gave it up.” His voiced cracked at the last sentence.

Her vision became blurry and she couldn’t take any more of this.

“Do you see what this has done already Betty? Archie doesn’t deserve this pain does he?”

She covered her face. Trying to stop the stream of tears that were gathering but she couldn’t. Of course, Archie didn’t deserve this. He was good to her. He wanted to marry her. And how does she repay him? By wanting to break with him and falling in love with his best friend. That’s not what Archie deserves either. No one should feel like their competing with a ghost.

“Betty. Baby, please. Please, look at me.” She felt him put his hands on her shoulder.

She brushed off his hands. Wiped the recent tears that were falling and looked up at him. “Fine. I won’t tell Archie about us.”

“But I’m not going to marry him either. He deserves to marry someone that loves him. He deserves his soulmate.” Her lips trembled as she forced down the lump at her throat.

She struggled to let the words out “Cause clearly I’m not his, I’m yours.”

A few minutes passed and they stayed there. Facing each other in silence. Collecting their thoughts and trying to digest what just happened.

The ring coming from Betty’s pocket broke the trance.

It was Veronica and if she knew anything is if she didn’t pick up she would either blow up her phone or come over so she answered. “V…can I call—.” Betty immediately showed interest in the reason for the call  

“Oh my god.” She squeezed her eyes shut.

Her eyes never left his as she hung up the phone. His stomach turned, nervously waiting on her next words.

“It’s Archie…he’s awake.”

He composed himself and straightened his posture.“You should go. He’ll want to see you.”

She nodded and left her head drop. “What about you?” Hands fidgeting with the phone still in her hands.

“I’ll go at a different time.” He replied as he was grabbing his jacket and heading for the door.

Of course. It’s probably best they don’t see each other after this. She’ll break it off with Archie, not today of course but she will. He’ll hate her but he’ll understand, with time, that it was for the best. And she’ll move in with V, who no doubt will help her through this. Maybe she’ll tell her what happened with Jughead, maybe she won’t. And what will become of them?

Betty quickly glanced up as she heard him open the door. “And us?”

He paused at the doorframe “We’ll meet in another lifetime”. Staring at the emerald eyes he’s grown to love looking into. Torn at the thought he would never experience them. He placed two fingers on his lips before closing the door behind him.

**Author's Note:**

> You okay?
> 
> Just checking cuz I know I wasn't when I finished it. Writing the dialogue at the end was so hard because I kept having to wipe away my tears.
> 
> Originally I had written that they did do the deed but I didn't want the readers to hate them even more for what they were doing. Not that it made it better but I figured it's more forgiving when you know nothing but kissing happened.
> 
> Let me what you think! I love reading and responding to comments :) or send me a message on tumblr: crescentlunaxo


End file.
